Where society is heading is puzzling and maybe even frightening. The only place safe from scrutiny, a social refuge even, may be in your own home…with the doors and windows all closed.

Even selecting the icon headers for this piece was problematic. The sheik figure has one hand up; does it mean something? A call to arms? A wave to family ? The Mexican mariachi band member? Is it mocking Mexico’s ubiquitous mariachi bands? Does his oversized sombrero make fun of the figure? Does the Geisha figure smack of ageism, is it a young person and not an old one?

“Black, coloured, African-American, negro?” Each word offends someone in some demographic group. How about “he, she, they, his, her, their?” Can you believe there is serious discussion about the acceptability of gender labeling pronouns? Soon we won’t be able to talk at all to avoid potentially offending someone, if anyone. That day is not far off.

“Trumpism” is accepting and/or imitating the philosophy and actions of Donald Trump. Say something against women…Trumpism. Say something opposing international trade…Trumpism. Say something about reporters with physical disabilities…Trumpism. Where does it stop? Will it stop?

Free speech means exactly that. Barring shouting “Fire” in a crowded theatre and such examples, anything goes. Free speech is becoming a tougher call all the time and more so every day. Years ago, sports teams with names like ‘Redskins’ and ‘Indians’ were popular and supportable. The dial has moved. Those are derogatory labels now. Soon, factual descriptors such as midget, dwarf, pint-sized will be lexiconic violations. Newfie (I write with trepidation) jokes, Polish jokes, blonde jokes have all been removed from acceptable social practice. Don Rickles, Foster Brooks, Rodney Dangerfield, not only are passe but also socially unacceptable as their punch lines insult, mock or offend in today’s society.

Ottawa’s Bill -C 61 when enacted will prohibit gender identification on official forms such as driver licenses, registration forms, hospital forms. With no apology here, I will be writing “MALE” on my hospital form just so there is no confusion in the operating room.

But where are we headed with all this “political correctness?” I fear the destination.

Rosie Dimanno, a stellar Toronto Star columnist decries the ridiculousness of where we are going when free speech and free opinion is regulated in our once hallowed halls of learning. Check out what she writes at @ROSIE. Read what she writes.